Agendas 2024

Agenda of April Ordinary Meeting of Sligo County Council to be held Monday, 8th April 2024 at 10 a.m.


Sligo County Council
Corporate Services,
County Hall,
Riverside,
Sligo
071-9111111

2nd April 2024

TO: THE CATHAOIRLEACH AND EACH MEMBER OF SLIGO COUNTY COUNCIL

The Ordinary Meeting of Sligo County Council will be held:

ON:      Monday, 8th April 2024

AT:      10.00 a.m.

IN:       Council Chamber, County Hall, Riverside, Sligo.

You are requested to attend.

Sinéad Branley
Meetings Administrator

 

CLÁR

  1. To confirm minutes of Meeting of Sligo County Council Audit Committee held on 12th December 2023 (Copy attached).
  2. To confirm minutes of Meeting of Corporate Policy Group (CPG) held on 15thJanuary 2024 (Copy attached).
  3. To confirm minutes of Meeting of Sligo-Drumcliff Municipal District held on 22nd January 2024 (Copy attached).
  4. To confirm minutes of Meeting of Ballymote-Tubbercurry Municipal District held on 22nd January 2024 (Copy attached).
  5. To confirm minutes of Ordinary Meeting of Sligo County Council held on 4th March 2024. (Copy attached).
  6. To consider holding a civic reception for Ryan O'Sullivan (Seven Summits Challenge).
  7. To approve, pursuant to Section 183 of the Local Government Act 2001, the disposal of the freehold interest in property at Glann, Culleens, Co. Sligo to Padraic Hannon (Report previously circulated).
  8. To note the Revenue Account out-turn for the year ended 31st December 2023 (Report attached).
  9. To approve the final draft of the Sligo County Council, Disability Inclusion and Access Strategy 2024-2027 as recommended by the Disability Consultative Committee and SPC1 Housing and Corporate (Cover Report, Final Draft of Strategy and easy to read version attached).
  10. To approve the allocation of the Regional Festivals and Events Fund 2024 for County Sligo (Report attached).
  11. To note recommendations of the Council’s Creative Ireland Open Call programme for 2024 (Report to follow).
  12. To note update on Sligo City Public Realm URDF Projects (Report attached).
  13. To consider and adopt for the Municipal District of Ballymote-Tubbercurry, the Municipal District of Sligo Borough and the Municipal District of Sligo-Drumcliff, the Schedules of Works for 2024 for Roads, Transportation & Infrastructure (Schedule, Appendices and associated maps attached).
  14. To set a date for a special meeting to consider the Second Chief Executive’s Report on submissions and observations received on the Draft Sligo County Development Plan 2024-2030.
  15. To note the Quarterly Management Report for Q1 2024 (Report to follow).

 

DEFERRED  MOTIONS

  1. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Clarke:
    “To call on Sligo County Council to seek an update on the defective block scheme from the Minister for housing.”
  2. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor G. O’Boyle:
    “Sligo County Council utilises lands where planning permission has been granted but no works have taken place to erect modular or prefabricated housing for the needs of emergency accommodation as a matter of urgency.”

 

MOTIONS

  1. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “For Sligo County Council to write to the Minister for Education and other relevant Ministers to ensure that complex educational needs remain as a criterion within schools for the allocation of Special Education Teacher (SET) hours.”
  2. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Walsh:
    “That Sligo County Council write to the HSE and the Saolta team to ascertain when the last risk assessment and security review was carried out in the Emergency Department at Sligo University Hospital. And that this Local Authority be provided with an update on the same.”
  3. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Walsh:
    “Following my notice of motion which was agreed by members in November 2020, in February 2022 and in May 2023, ‘seeking Sligo County Council to explore the provision of an outdoor skate park in Sligo’, that this Council now be provided with an update and overview since May 2023 on:
  • What scoping exercise has been carried out on possible site location/s?
  • When will the same go to consultation with the stakeholders including skateboard/skatepark users?
  • When will a detailed design be ready?
  • When will an application be made for funding?”
  1. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor G. O’Boyle:
    “Sligo County Council calls on the Minister of Education to reverse SET allocation changes.” 
  2. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Healy:
    “To call on Sligo County Council to write to the Minister of Housing to include affordable houses in any housing scheme where we are building social housing on local authorities land in the county as this is not the case at present.”
  3. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Mulvey:
    “That Sligo County Council calls on government to extend the temporary waiver of development levies and the refund of Uisce Éireann water and wastewater connection charges to further boost the supply of new housing stock. The Temporary Development Contribution Waiver Scheme applies for 1 year to all permitted residential development that commences on site between 25th April 2023 and 24th April 2024, and is completed no later than 31st December 2025. The waiver covers the full cost of the development contribution levy due from the developer/project promoter under the development contribution scheme operated by the relevant local authority.”
  4. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “That Sligo County Council write to the OPW and Minister Noonan to request that an urgent plan and measures be put in place to urgently secure all archaeological sites in Sligo to prevent any further damage and vandalism. I request that this be undertaken before the summer season.”
  5. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    "That Sligo County Council write to Minister O'Gorman asking that the Minister postpone the requirement of the Chart of Accounts in their current form until all issues have been resolved. 
    I also ask instead that revenue accounts be accepted by the Minister's department as sufficient evidence of income reporting and that these be submitted by service providers themselves without the need to use the services of a chartered accountant.
    Can this be shared with every local authority in the country and ask every county councillor and TD to support this."
  6. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor G. O’Boyle:
    “Sligo County Council calls on the government to open up the mother and baby homes redress scheme for all survivors.”
  7. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Mulvey:
    “To ask Sligo County Council; Where need has been identified and a qualifying applicant has been approved by Safe Home Ireland, it is proposed that Sligo County Council will allocate one age-friendly property per year (in each of the Council's electoral areas) to a returning Irish emigrant. The proposed applicant must have their housing needs assessed by the local authority and be approved for inclusion on the social housing waiting list.
    Safe Home Ireland is an Irish emigrant support service that provides a range of services for returning and returned Irish emigrants. They provide an advice and information service, undertake outreach visits, and provide housing assistance to eligible applicants.  Safe Home Ireland was established in 2000 to assist older, qualifying Irish born emigrants to explore the option of returning to live in their native areas.”
  8. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Bree:
    “Noting the concern expressed by a significant number of independent providers of Early Childhood and School Aged Care, both community and private in counties Sligo and Leitrim regarding new reporting requirements imposed by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, this Council calls on the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, to favourably consider the proposals submitted to him by the providers on the 10th of March 2024.”
  9. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. MacSharry:
    “That Sligo County Council call on the Minister for Health & the Minister for Finance for the provision of a new Renal Dialysis Unit for Sligo University Hospital.”
  10. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. MacSharry:
    “That Sligo County Council call on the Government to establish a victims of crime compensation fund in the interests of Justice. “
  11. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. MacSharry:
    “That Sligo County Council write to the Minister for Transport requesting an urgent update on the provision of any new bus services in the county of Sligo.”
  12. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Connolly:
    “To ask Sligo County Council for a report on the following:
    What is Sligo County Council's role with Approved Housing Bodies with regard to tenancies.
    2. What follow up checks are carried out to ensure that the properties are kept up to standard.
    3. Who is responsible for the welfare of these tenants?”
  13. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Bree:
    “That this Council calls on AXA Insurance Co. Ireland, to cease its investments in all banks and companies that subsidise or otherwise enable Israel’s illegal settlements in occupied Palestine.”
  14. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor G. O’Boyle:
    “Sligo County Council write to all local businesses with commercial vacancies as we have the highest commercial vacancy rate, to look at putting suitable housing accommodation in place as an urgent priority.”
  15. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Gibbons:
    “That this local authority calls on the Government to listen to disabled people and bin the Green Paper on Disability Reform.”
  16. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Gibbons:
    “That this local authority calls on the Government to bring reform to the insurance industry.”
  17. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Gilroy:
    “That Sligo County Council issue a report to members on how many of the surfacing issues identified when TII undertook the annual surveys on the national road network 2023 which were inputted into the Pavement Asset Management System and analysed to determine Pavement Asset Repair and Renewal schemes (PARR) on a network wide basis, on National Primary and National Secondary roads in 2023 have been repaired and how many still have to be repaired?
    Who is responsible for implementing the Pavement Asset Repair and Renewal schemes (PARR) on National Primary and National Secondary roads in County Sligo?
    When will the surface repairs identified in the Pavement Asset Repair and Renewal schemes (PARR) on National Primary and National Secondary roads in County Sligo be carried out?”
  18. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Gilroy:
    “That Sligo County Council issue a report to members on how many Early Childhood and School Aged care centres pay rates in County Sligo and what the total rates income from this sector is.
    And to provide members with advice on the regulations regarding the charging of Rates to these types of centres and if members can decide in a future budget to give some rates reduction to providers of education to our youngest citizens.”
  19. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Gilroy:
    “That Sligo County Council write to the Minister Eamon Ryan TD, Minister for the Environment, Climate, Communications and Transport to ask:
    What amount of Lithium and Copper (in Kg) was used in each of the new buses in the electrified Athlone Bus Fleet, as announced by the Minister. What amount of the Lithium and Copper can be reused after the effects of Metal Fatigue and to confirm that the Minister had asked these questions before he announced the introduction of Electrified Buses in Athlone. This question is to the Minister who provided funding for this project and not for Bus Eireann or Transport for Ireland as they were not the Minister in charge if the department that funded this project, and accordingly this council requests that the Minister reply directly to this council and not send the letter to another agency.”
  20. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Bree:
    “Aware of the current housing crisis and recognising that access to secure and genuinely affordable housing is increasingly out of reach for many people, this Council expresses its disappointment that no date has yet been set to hold a referendum to enshrine the right to housing in the Constitution, and furthermore we call on the government to hold a referendum on the issue in the current year.”
  21. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Walsh:
    “That this Local Authority contact the Director of the HSE relevant to the final phase of the capital programme at Nazareth House, Sligo and when the €8 million will be provided for the capital build that is anticipated in 2024.
    That this motion be brought to the attention of the Saolta Chief Officer, The Taoiseach and Tanaiste for reply.”
  22. Votes of Sympathy.
  23. Votes of Congratulations.
  24. To approve the Conferences/Training events as circulated.
  25. To note the summary of proceedings of conferences attended in accordance with Section 142(5) (f) of the Local Government Act, 2001.
  26. Correspondence:
    1. Email dated 1st March 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Housing, Local Government & Heritage regarding the domestic waste-water treatment systems grants.
    2. Letter dated 4th March 2024 from Ms. Gráinne McCann, Sligo University Hospital Manager in relation to the 42-bed medical block at SUH.
    3. Letter dated 4th March 2024 from Brigit and Ron Beemster, Cloughboley, Co Sligo in relation to erection of polytunnels; digging on private lands; cutting of trees/bushes on private lands; banning of dogs on the beach between Raughley and Lissadell to preserve Barnacle and Brent geese.
    4. Email dated 13th March 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Health in relation to the 42-bed medical block at SUH.
    5. Acknowledgement mail dated 15th March 2024 from the Office of the Minister of State for Transport, Jack Chambers TD, regarding the N15.
    6. Acknowledgement email dated 19th March 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Health regarding strategy to encourage uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.
    7. Acknowledgement email dated 19th March 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Transport regarding TFI and Sligo.
    8. Email dated 20th March 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Transport regarding tolling.
    9. Letter from Mr. Richard Bruton TD in response to Vote of Sympathy letter which issued to Mr. Bruton following the February Ordinary meeting.
    10. Acknowledgement email dated 22nd March 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Finance in relation to re-introduction of the 9% VAT rate for the hospitality sector.
    11. Acknowledgement email dated 22nd March 2024 from the Office of the Minister of State at the Department of Transport regarding the N15.
    12. Acknowledgement email dated 22nd March 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Housing, Local Government & Heritage regarding revision of the vacant property refurbishment grant.
    13. Letter dated 21st March 2024 from Dr. Áine McNamara, Area Director of Public Health HSE West and North-West regarding the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.
    14. Email dated 25th March 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Health regarding the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.
    15. Email dated 25th March 2024 from the HSE CHO area 1, in relation to the MMR vaccine catch up programme running in Sligo and Leitrim.
    16. Acknowledgement letter dated 25th March 2024 from the Office of the Minister of State at the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief, in relation to the Neolithic Monument at Fox’s Den on Cairns Hill, Sligo.
    17. Email dated 26th March 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Health regarding funding to support patients with a cancer diagnosis undergoing treatment.
    18. Acknowledgement email dated 28th March 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Social Protection regarding the fuel allowance.
    19. Resolution passed by the Members of Westmeath County Council in relation to support for the IFA ‘Enough is Enough’ campaign.
  27. Matters arising from Minutes.
  28. Any other business.

Meeting Date 08/04/2024